US8405979B2 - Cover latching system and electronic device using same - Google Patents

Abstract

An electronic device includes a housing defining a latching hole, a cover, and an operating element slidably mounted to the cover. The operating element includes a latching body and a key protruding from the latching body. The latching body is latched in the latching hole to latch the cover to the housing. When the key is slid in a first direction, the latching body slides out of the latching hole and releases the cover from the housing.

Description

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The disclosure generally relates to cover latching systems and electronic devices using the cover latching systems.

2. Description of Related Art

Batteries are widely used in electronic devices, such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), and cellular phones. A typical latching structure is used to latch a battery cover to the electronic device to secure the battery between the battery cover and the electronic device. However, moving parts of a typical latching structure may be very stiff and hard to manipulate in use.

Therefore, there is a room for improvement within the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the exemplary cover latching system can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. These drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the exemplary cover latching system and electronic device using the cover latching system. Moreover, in the drawings like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like elements of an embodiment.

FIG. 1 is a schematic and exploded view of an exemplary electronic device including a cover latching system, a cover, and a housing.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the housing and the cover latching system inFIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of an operating element of the cover latching system.

FIG. 4 is an assembled view of the electronic device shown inFIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged and cross-sectional view of the electronic device shown inFIG. 4 along the line V-V.

FIG. 6 is a partially enlarged and cross-sectional view of the electronic device shown inFIG. 4 along the line VI-VI when the cover is latched to the housing.

FIG. 7 is similar toFIG. 6, but the cover is released from the housing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring toFIGS. 1 and 2, an electronic device with an exemplary cover latching system is shown. The electronic device includes ahousing10 and acover20 mounted to thehousing10. The cover latching system includes a mounting element30 positioned on thecover20, anoperating element40 slidably mounted to the mounting element, alatching hole15 defined in thehousing10, and twoelastic elements50 located between thecover20 and theoperating element40.

Thehousing10 defines a receivinggroove16 for receiving thecover20, and achamber17 for accommodating a battery. Theoperating element40 latches in thelatching hole15 to fix thecover20 to thehousing10.

The mounting element30 includes amounting groove31 and two resistingblocks33 respectively protruding from opposite inner wall surfaces of themounting groove31. Referring toFIG. 3, theoperating element40 includes alatching body41, and tworetaining blocks42 protruding from thelatching body41. Thelatching body41 is latched in thelatching hole15 to fix thecover20 to thehousing10. Theretaining blocks42 are slidably mounted in themounting groove31 to mount theoperating element40 to the mounting element30.

Referring toFIGS. 4 and 5, theoperating element40 further includes twohooks421, and each of which protrudes outwardly from one of theretaining blocks42. Eachhook421 resists one of the resistingblocks33 to prevent theoperating element40 from separating from the mounting element30. Theelastic elements50, located between theoperating element40 and thecover20, exert elastic force on theoperating element40 to firmly latch thelatching body41 in thelatching hole15. In this exemplary embodiment, theoperating element40 further includes twopoles43, and theelastic elements50 are respectively wound on thepoles43.

Referring toFIGS. 4 and 6, theoperating element40 further includes a key44 protruding from thelatching body41. Thecover20 defines anopening24 corresponding to thekey44. When theoperating element40 is mounted to the mounting element30, thekey44 passes through theopening24 and is exposed from thecover20. Referring toFIGS. 6 and 7, to release thecover20 from thehousing10, thekey44 is slid in a first direction until thelatching body41 slides out of thelatching hole15 releasing the latching engagement between thehousing10 and thecover20. At this time, theelastic elements50 are compressed and will expand when thekey44 is released.

It is to be understood that the cover latching system may further include a latching mechanism for further latching thecover20 tohousing10. The latching mechanism may include an equal number ofsecuring slots18,19 and securingblocks25,26 engaging thesecuring slots18,19. In this exemplary embodiment, thesecuring slots18,19 are defined in thehousing10 and thesecuring blocks25,26 protrude from thecover20. It is also to be understood that thesecuring slots18,19 may be defined either in thehousing10 or thecover20, and the securing slot engagement (e.g., securingblocks25,26) configured to protrude from the element opposite to thesecuring slots18,19.

It is to be understood, however, that even through numerous characteristics and advantages of the exemplary disclosure have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

Claims (2)

What is claimed is:

1. A cover latching system for latching a cover to a housing, the cover latching system comprising:

a latching hole defined in the housing;

a mounting element located on the cover, the mounting element comprising a base wall and two opposite side walls, the base wall connected between the two side walls and cooperatively defining a mounting groove;

an operating element slidably mounted in the mounting element to the cover, the operating element comprising a latching body, a key and two retaining blocks protruding from the latching body; and

at least one elastic element;

wherein the mounting element further comprises two resisting blocks, each resisting block protruding from an inner surface of one of the two opposite side walls; the operating element further comprises two hooks, and each hook protrudes outwardly from a corresponding one of the retaining blocks; each hook resists a corresponding one of the resisting blocks to prevent the operating element from separating from the mounting element; and

wherein the at least one elastic element is received in the mounting groove and is resisted between the latching body and the base wall, the two retaining blocks are slidably mounted in the mounting groove to respectively latch with the two opposite side walls, the latching body is latched in the latching hole to latch the cover to the housing; when the key is slid in a first direction, the latching body slides out of the latching hole to release the cover from the housing.

2. An electronic device comprising:

a housing defining a latching hole;

a cover;

a mounting element located on the cover, the mounting element comprising a base wall and two opposite side walls, the base wall connected between the two side walls and cooperatively defining a mounting groove;

an operating element slidably mounted in the mounting element to the cover, the operating element comprising a latching body, a key and two retaining blocks protruding from the latching body; and

at least one elastic element;

wherein the mounting element further comprises two resisting blocks, each resisting block protruding from an inner surface of one of the two opposite side walls; the operating element further comprises two hooks, and each of which protrudes outwardly from one of the retaining blocks; each hook resists a corresponding one of the resisting blocks to prevent the operating element from separating from the mounting element, and

wherein the at least one elastic element is received in the mounting groove and is resisted between the latching body and the base wall, the two retaining blocks are slidably mounted in the mounting groove to respectively latch with the two opposite side walls, the latching body is latched in the latching hole to latch the cover to the housing; when the key is slid in a first direction, the latching body slides out of the latching hole to release the cover from the housing.

Images